Be Prepared, Be Preparing

 

Sermon for the Second Sunday of Advent

9 December 2023

Lessons: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8 (Blue)

Key verses:

 

Isaiah 11:3:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

 

2 Peter 3:14-15a:

“Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

 

Mark 1:2:

“As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;’”

 

 

Message

 

Let us pray

 

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”[i]  Amen.

 

Good evening.  “BE PREPARED!”  Can anyone tell me where you have heard that motto before?  [wait for responses].  Yes, indeed, it’s the Boy Scout motto.

 

When LTG/Lord Robert S.S. Baden-Powell was asked the inevitable question of about this motto, “Prepared for what?”, the founder of the worldwide scouting movement’s alleged reply was “Why, for any old thing.”[ii]  When writing his most famous text, Scouting for Boys, in 1908[iii], Baden-Powell explained the meaning  further, writing, “Be Prepared... the meaning of the motto is that a scout must prepare himself by previous thinking-out and practicing how to act on any accident or emergency so that he is never taken by surprise.”[iv]  Going on to say “you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your duty.”[v]

 

Truth be told, back what seems many moons ago, and perhaps it was, I was privileged to have earned the rank of Eagle Scout; Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank as young person.  To say, after a military career and much of my lifetime in some sort of service to the communities I have lived in, or been a member of, that I was impacted greatly by the scouting movement would be a tremendous understatement.  I can still point to lessons I learned while a scout that I use to this day:  anyone want to ask me how to tie a two half hitches knot?  Or a taught line hitch?  Or maybe it’s how to stop someone from bleeding?  How about pitching a tent? …

 

But beyond those tangible and practical skills, the motto “Be Prepared” echoes regularly and constantly in my life.  Perhaps it’s a reason I am now doing resilience engineering research and work, and am passionate about making my community, our country, and worldwide civilization as we know it stronger, as we contend with the effects of anthropomorphic induced climate change.  Maybe it was because its come up over and over again in my professional life by serving in such units as the US Second Cavalry Regiment who’s motto, in French, is Toujours Prêt, translated as “always ready”, and is what French speaking scouts say around the globe for “Be Prepared”.  Maybe its because, I’m now a husband and a dad, so anytime we leave the house as a family or I leave for a trip, I make many preparations to ensure we have, what we need in case something, “any old thing”, happens while we are out or as I am away.  Or maybe, just maybe, its because every year, on the second Sunday of Advent we hear the words of Isaiah and John the Baptist calling us to “Be Prepared”.

 

We are now solidly in the season of Advent.  Advent is the season of readiness, the season of preparation, the season of hope, and the season for expectant waiting.  For me, it also is always a season of remembering and re-centering.  It’s a time for reflection on the year that has been, and a time to gain focus for the year to come.  Today’s lessons, as I encounter them, bespeak just that.

 

John, the cousin of Jesus Christ, is out in the desert “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”[vi]  Repentance is at once both backwards looking (cleansing us of our sins) and forward looking (setting us on a new path towards righteousness).  It is both a remembrance and a re-centering.  But it is a specific remembrance and a specific re-centering.  It calls us to look back and seek out, as our confession states, “what we have done and by what we have left undone.”[vii]  When we compare ourselves against the perfectness of Christ, of God, of the wisdom found in his law, we are sure to find ourselves wanting; all of us.[viii]  But it is critical that we do look back and make this examination.  And John, like Isaiah, and all of the prophets, put this into specific relief.  We have done our best to create crooked roads, when God has called us to “make straight in the desert a highway”.[ix]  Our remembrance in repentance is not merely a look into the past but an adjudication, under the law, of our path to this point.  But that is not all repentance is, it isn’t judgement, it’s something much more.

 

It’s also, critically, re-centering.  Repentance, in its more literal sense, is about turning.  As Peter states in Acts, “Repent, therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.”[x]  Repentance is not just looking back, its not just about the law.  Its also about the gospel.  It’s about spinning to a new, or returning again to a renewed, azimuth on our moral and spiritual compass that points towards God.  We need to, after and while remembering, also seek out the Kingdom of God; our home in, with and through Jesus Christ.  And then head out forthrightly on the path we are called to follow.  To “strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.”[xi]

 

Repentance, therefore, is central to our Lutheran law and gospel principle.  As Martin Luther once preached, “Behold, herein you find the difference between the Law and the Gospel, namely, that the Law commands while the Gospel gives all things freely. The Law causes anger and hate, the Gospel gives grace.”[xii]  Or as theologian Carl Braaten put it, “The gospel is not a word from God apart from the law.  Law and gospel have different functions.  The law of God addresses each person through the Scriptures, their conscience, and the natural orders of life in history and society.  The law terrifies, accuses, condemns, denounces, punishes, and kills.  If this was not true, the gospel cannot comfort, strengthen, forgive, liberate, and renew.”  “The gospel is not only a promise of future hope, but also a proclamation of present grace.  The gospel tells us that God makes and keeps his promises – for us and for Christ’s sake alone.”[xiii]

 

As we listen to the words of the scriptures today, we hear many promises that God will and is keeping.  “He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms and carry them in his bosom and gently lead the mother sheep.”[xiv]  “… for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.  Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.  Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.  Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.  The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  Righteousness will go before him and will make a path for his steps.”[xv]  God is here and will remain with us, and he is patient, as stated in the epistle today, “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”[xvi]

 

So, what does this mean for us?  What do we need to do?  Well, “be prepared”, of course.  Well, maybe that is not right.  One of the critiques one might have with the scout motto is that it is not active enough to meet the challenge that John calls to us to in today’s gospel lesson, or that Isaiah called to his people, or to the words Peter offers in his letter.  No, to “be prepared” implies an end-state and a condition wherein you can “be prepared” fully for all that has, is and will come along your way.  I might posit here that we need to “be preparing”; constantly, ever vigilantly.  The voice that is calling out in the wilderness to “… prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God”[xvii] also directs that “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.”[xviii]  So that, “… the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

 and all flesh shall see it together.”[xix]  In today’s parlance, God is intervening, then, now, and in the future, in massive, earthshattering, and intentional ways, so that we can remain fixed on the pathways we have, are, and will always be called to travel on.  So we cannot just “be prepared” we need to, in order to enter into repentance, returning to our baptism, to “be preparing” for Christ, and his Kingdom, in, with and through all of creation including our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls.  To paraphrase Baden-Powell’s words, “prepare … by previous thinking-out and practicing how to act … so that [we are] never taken by surprise”[xx] by what God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, have, are, and will do.  May this be a core part of your participation in the advent of God who is coming, has come, and is with us now and always.

 

Amen.

 

---

[i] Psalm 19:14

[ii] https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/05/08/be-prepared-scout-motto-origin/

[iii] Noted that this was after the Boer War, in which Baden-Powell had become famous, but before the massive total wars later in the 20^th century.

[iv] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/robert_badenpowell_138358

[v] https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/05/08/be-prepared-scout-motto-origin/

[vi] Mark 1:4

[vii] ELW, pp 117, rite of confession and forgiveness.

[viii] Cf. Romans 3:23

[ix] Isaiah 40:3

[x] Acts 3:19

[xi] 2 Peter 3:14-15a

[xii] Sermon for Palm Sunday, 1522, retrieved form https://crossings.org/selections-from-martin-luther-for-advent/

[xiii] Principles of Lutheran Theology, pp. 139

[xiv] Isaiah 40:11

[xv] Psalm 85:8b-13

[xvi] 2 Peter 3:9

[xvii] Isaiah 40:3

[xviii] Isaiah 40:4

[xix] Isaiah 40:5

[xx] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/robert_badenpowell_138358

Good leaders have a strong professional critic

 “Lieutenant, get in my f—-ing office, now!”  I can hear that voice as if it happened this morning, the day that Captain Chris Dessaso laid into me in one of the most memorable ass chewings of my lifetime.  It was my first unit assignments and I had really made a mistake.  Charlie 1-10 Infantry was a basic training company at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, that was arguably the best in the Battalion and certainly in the top tier of the Brigade.  And a big part of that was Chris’ drive for excellence and willingness to lay down the law as the commander to achieve it.  As a young, wet behind the ears, and eager second lieutenant, I was all about doing my best and driving hard in what equated to a 5 to 9 job, 7 days a week.  My mistake, however, was to open my mouth to his spouse about some inner murmurings that not everything was going as well as the commander thought they were, and that he needed to think about that some.  It was a classic case of “going around the boss” that proved to be a colossal failure.  But I learned more than that the next morning as I was in the front leaning rest before his desk as he raged for what seemed to be an interminable length of time.  It wasn’t just a lesson on why not going direct to your boss with concerns was a bad idea or don’t mistake cordiality of relationships with your boss’ spouse as a way to relay messages.  No, I learned a key lesson that I think every leader absolutely needs to learn:  you need to have a harsh, respected, professional, critic that can stab you in the eye when you need it.

One of my weaknesses as a leader is that I get what I call “sagely”.  It’s a mixture of both being a “know it all” and having way too much pride/confidence for my own good.  I am a type “A” personality.  Or as my wife puts it, I’m an over achiever.  Lots of folks around give me feedback that can absolutely stroke my ego and go to my head.  And sometimes it does just that.  But that is precisely when I need to be crushed back down to planet earth.  Jackie, in my personal life, is very adept at putting me in my place, and I deeply love her for that (even as sometimes I’d not like to admit it or appreciate it in the moment).  But in my professional life it’s been critical as well to have someone be my sounding board and to set me in my place periodically, less I travel down a road that hurts the mission and objectives of the work I’m trying to do, never mind myself and my career.  In my mind, as a result, I am beyond convinced, every good leader needs to have a mentor, peer, or other designated person in your professional life who’s job it is to knock you off your proverbial high horse, regularly.  And those who rise to high heights that don’t have this, not only fail as leaders, fail personally, but fail to actually be leaders in reality.

There are several historical examples of this reality, both in colossal failures and phenomenal success.  Napoleon is a classic example of where he did not have this critic, and it led him to exceptionally destructive behaviors, including the devastating March to Moscow.  But we can and should look at examples where the opposite occurred.  A pair of great examples were arguably our two best Presidents ever, Washington and Lincoln.   Both of these two leaders had such critics that served them well.  In Washington’s case he relied on Hamilton for this to a degree as well as ensuring he had a cast of rivals around him as advisors including Jefferson as well as Madison.  In Lincoln’s case, he had Seward and a similar team of rivals (to use a title of a famous biography of him) that he used to check himself.  Both of these leaders could not have risen to the heights they did without the required professional critic that they depended on to seek out and find the flaws in their leadership styles and approaches to issues.  While they were brilliant into themselves and had hearty egos to go with it, they knew that they had to dispatch with sycophants, surround themselves with capable persons who challenged them, and keep hubris in abeyance.

In my life, I have been a part of organizations where I’ve seen where the appointed or selected leader, both failed to have this kind of critic that was taken seriously and respected, and ones where they had one or two and thus the entire enterprise benefitted.  It was among the reasons for the clear differences between my two combat tours in Iraq.  Tour #1 went through two O-5 Battalion Commanders who didn’t remain grounded, despite the Battalion’s motto being “Down to Earth”.  The second had a full bird Colonel who had a Command Sergeant Major (CSM) who was unabashed in laying out his often forceful criticisms.  While not always going with the advice he got from his CSM, DeLuca listened and ensured he ameliorated the risks because of the criticisms he received.  Similarly, at two academic institutions, I have now witnessed the consequences of when the President has a person in his cabinet that holds significant sway and his respect that was a part of the loyal opposition, and one that has not.  The former thrived and the other is at a proverbial crossroads.

To me then, the sign of a great leader, is whom he or she or they surround themselves with. Do they have a distinct person or cadre thereof, professionally, that challenge them and tell them the harsh truth about themselves, such that the leader changes and grows and avoids their worst impulses?  Or are they unwilling to own that the failure in most organizations starts with them?  Leaders have to hold both those around them accountable as well as themselves.  The only way to do that is have someone that can confront them, who they respect and listen to, which will help them be the change they need to be in order for themselves and those they lead to be as successful as they can be.

“Erik you really have changed,” said Derrick Edmond, a peer during my second deployment to Iraq.  Going into what is probably one of my most successful military assignments, I was a very headstrong and direct leader within our small Facilities Engineer Detachment of 15 people.  Derrick, along with another officer whom I respected, along with the OIC, early on, pulled me aside and pointed out my flaw in my character.  I was not respecting some members of the team because I was so “high speed” and had expressed unrealistic expectations of the others to think, act, and function as I did.  Hearing this, I changed my approach and made choices to engage with the team.  It took conscious effort, I had to check some of my instincts, but in the end it made me and the whole team much more successful.  And this hasn’t been the only time.  Having someone that I check in with regularly that can give me honest feedback about my flaws and where I need to improve is among my most important colleagues and friends I can have.  If you too are a leader, make sure you have this professional guide in your midst; for your sake and that of those around you.

A companion post to “How to Honor Veterans and Military Personnel at Church – Appropriately, Compassionately”

 The Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade posted via her Patheos blog “EcoPreacher” a very helpful guide entitled “How to Honor Veterans and Military Personnel at Church – Appropriately, Compassionately” (https://www.patheos.com/blogs/ecopreacher/2023/10/how-to-honor-veterans-and-military-personnel-at-church-appropriately-compassionately/).  The following is, what I hope to be, a companion to that effort, as I feel it missed a very critical voice in its discussion.  Before I do, however, I wish to note that Rev. Dr. Schade is among my favorite contemporary theologians, one whom I believe will go down as among the greatest in the early 21st century pantheon of theologians we know, especially within specifically Lutheran theological circles.  To that, I gave and continue to give her huge credit for weighing in on this in such a careful and thoughtful way.  I also acknowledge that in penning her post, she consulted with a number of other clergy, two of which were veterans.  This was good, for sure, and I certainly take that under advisement as I weigh in on this effort.

Let me begin this companion with the most obvious missing piece that I found in Rev. Dr. Schade’s discussion: the place of the soldier/warrior/veteran in the Kingdom of God.  To me, this is a critical and necessary precursor to any such discussion about how “we honor our veterans and current military personnel at church in a way that acknowledges their service without glorifying war or inserting patriotic displays in worship.”  Given that we are speaking in a specific Christian context, a first place to find such an answer is assuredly scripture.  To which, scripture is absolutely full of discussions of martial affairs.  Whether this be the centrality of Pharaoh’s military might in the Exodus story, or the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites, or the story of David from his slingshot of Goliath to his stealing of General Uriah’s wife (by the deliberate assassination of Uriah in battle), or dozens of other stories in the Old Testament alone, there is a lot one can and should consider about those who a part of any military effort as a warrior or however else they are named.  And we’d be very wise not to forget the prominence of military figures in the gospel itself, from the faith of the centurion to the soldiers casting lots at the foot of the cross, to the sentry who acknowledges that Jesus was truly the lord of all, to Pontius Pilate who condemned Christ to the cross as the means of his death (among other instances).  For that reason, I cannot commend strongly enough to your reading, comprehension, and understanding the treatise by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther entitled originally “Whether Soldiers Too Can Be Saved.” A copy of this can be found at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/la64z9n2hyax76bzpn825/15260000-WhetherSoldiersTooCanBeSaved.  This treatise, written to address this very issue when asked by a soldier themselves, is built on a solid scriptural foundation, remains exceptionally relevant today, and is foremost in my mind as I pen this companion.  I also think it can and should be used as a reference point in how we in the church, address veterans and military related holidays and those that have served.

While Rev. Dr. Schade spends the majority of her post addressing the fact that there are many veterans that struggle with their service, prefer not to discuss it, were traumatized by it, or have misgivings, and so forth, I will assert that the vast majority of us (noting here I am a veteran myself) have no such issues and are comfortable, proud, and readily identify with our service.  Yes, there is a serious problem with a segment of veterans that have bought into acceptance, if not outright full throated embrace, of white conservative Christian nationalism (noting the importance of the prefixes of “white” and “conservative” to Rev. Dr. Schade’s use of the term).  This can and absolutely needs correction.  I am not talking about those veterans, albeit I will address that as well later.  I am talking about the vast majority that have integrated back into civilian society and have taken on various roles from being teachers in our schools, to business owners, to members of various community groups, and most likely are a recognizable part of your congregation.  One of the biggest mistakes that can be made when it comes to addressing veterans, especially around specific related holidays, is to assume we are all broken pots that you have to handle with proverbial “kid gloves” or that we have had experiences that are so devoid of anyone else’s in society that we cannot be empathized with, if not understood.  While a declining demographic, per the 2020 census, we as veterans, represent approximately 7% of the population in the US.[1] If you look deeper however, the vast majority of veterans are aged 65 or older.[2] And given that many churches are “greying” in the US, as a percentage of the overall population, there are a much higher percentage of us in those age brackets.

Point being that, do not assume we have a struggle that is not there, assume that it’s not appreciated that you acknowledge our service to our fellow citizens, nor assume it’s unimportant that we may have a disproportionate impact on our communities, inclusive of our faith communities.  This is especially true around specific holidays.

So, to borrow from Rev. Dr. Schade’s approach, what can you do to address these issues? Beyond her very good suggestions, let me offer a few key points of advice:

• Learn what the holidays actually are and are not.  Each of the national holidays have specific purposes that I find I have to habitually remind people about.  Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring those that have died in service of the county.  Yes, predominantly they are those that served in the military, but it also includes diplomats, astronauts, scientists, politicians, and many more.  So thinking that day is a day to especially thank a living veteran or service member for their service is a complete misnomer.  This is a day that often weighs heavily on those of us who have served in uniform as it is when we remember our brothers and sisters whom we witnessed die in combat or in other circumstances.  It can be greatly irritating to us to have you not understand the meaning of that day because, for me at least, it takes away from the importance on those whom should be recognized.  Similarly Armed Forces Day is a day for those currently serving in uniform, not for those who have served in the past (aka military veterans).  Veterans Day is for those who have served, whether that is a full career or a day, in uniform, so this is when you’re best to recognize all those living persons who are serving presently as well as in the past.  I’d also offer that September 11th (9/11) is an important date to note and consider, not for veterans alone, but for all those who were directly or indirectly effected by the events of that day in 2001.  Make it not just about military, but about he victims, the first responders, the traumatized, the families.  To that, on all of these celebrations pull in spouses and other family members associated with the day in question as there is strong acknowledgment that they too served, in an often unrecognized capacity.
• Ensure you do something on those days (yes in worship too).  While Rev. Dr. Schade does a lot to squash the bug of displacing God’s kingdom with Caesar’s through inappropriate patriotic displays and supplanting hymns with patriotic songs as a part of worship itself, be careful you don’t expunge the nature of the holiday occasion from what ought to be a fantastic moment to teach about our dual citizenship, the role of the church in the public square, and the nature of military and other kinds of service as a lived out vocation in the Kingdom of God.  In many Christian polities we already have provided elements such as inclusion of these themes in our weekly prayers of the church or as a deliberate liturgical options in our worship sources (again as she indicated in her post).  Carefully consider their use and work locally to implement those that fit best, without harming or otherwise going “overboard”.  If the lectionary that particular week has a lesson that contains one of the numerous instances that war or conflict or peacemaking are spoken to, preach on that lesson and use it as a vehicle to engage the congregation in a helpful dialogue about those themes today, especially in light of the holiday in question.  And while I’d too avoid John Philip Souza in the hymns for the day, there are some very good choices of hymns that speak to each of these holidays that are not “patriotic” at first blush, but might do well to sing (e.g.  “Eternal Father Strong to Save” or “Lord make me an instrument of peace”).  Further, don’t forget that preludes and postludes are good places for more varied songs to play, and might be precisely the place for a rendition of America the Beautiful, for instance.  Finally, I’ll depart a bit from her suggestion that you not put honoring veterans as a part of the liturgy by doing so before or after.  If you honor mothers on Mother's Day or all those faithfully departed on All Saints Day, as a part of your liturgical practice, do likewise for those others on their day.  It is important to put all of these honoring events in their proper place: as remembrances that we are all worthy of honor as children of God.  When you pull out any subgroup it ought to be to especially recognize them for their unique contributions or to bring attention to what is too often neglected about those unique gifts for the benefit of all.  This can be tricky and she’s right to emphasize that such events honoring x or y subgroup in worship is not ideal.  Again, there are wonderful resources available for making these integrations work without stumbling into problematic territory.
• Consider “temple talks” by veterans on these days.  These may require some coaching, and you’d want to make sure you have the first few occurrences set the tone, but this is a fantastic way for willing veterans (or any minority group for that matter), to share out their lived experience with their church family.  Rev. Dr. Schade rightly pointed out we ought to give consideration to celebrating labor on Labor Day or parenthood on the prescribed days, or other poignant reminders on various days.  That need not be done by the Pastor, especially if they do not identify or fit into the demographic in question.  For this particular discussion, if there is a willingness, set aside 5-10 min for a talk by a veteran about the holiday in question.  For Memorial Day, having them share about what it was like to lose a compatriot in combat might well set the tone for a powerful remembrance that can be preached to later in the service about both resurrection hope and about our call to be God’s witnesses in this world.
• Offer a Bible study series on war and peace from Memorial Day to Veterans Day.  As I said above, scripture is replete with these themes and it is a critical part of what many struggle with to place into their personal lives never mind the church.  Given that the liturgical calendar aligns nicely to often have this be the period of the Season after Pentecost (including Armed Forces Day and Independence Day, as well as Labor Day and Columbus/Indigenous Persons Day), this would be an excellent way to run a targeted but framed exploration of war, peace, and those that are in the midst of martial conflict.  I’d commend accompanying resources like the aforementioned treatise by Luther, but there are some others that could serve this effort well (I have not used this nor reviewed it myself, but this looks very intriguing and helpful:  War and Peace: From Genesis to Revelation https://a.co/d/afbyDOw).  Consider having parishioners who have been involved in armed conflict as well as veterans be co-leaders of this effort.  Make this a chance for small group ministry and growth in understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the community to support veterans, their families, and those affected by war in other ways.  It is also a great way to hone in on the place of national pride and patriotism within the context of the church and God’s kingdom in general.
• If not done already, make a habit of sharing specific resources for veterans that speak to their faith life.  To this one of the most important tasks of the church is to equip people on their faith journey with the necessary tools and equipment.  One of the most helpful things for me has been a specific resource given to me by my parish many years ago, that provided me with a place to go to find answers, seek ways to express my unique experiences, and have a readymade mechanism to carry along my way.  The Prayer Book for the Armed Services by Augsburg Fortress remains a part of my collection that I refer to, to this day (https://www.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/18570/Prayer-Book-for-the-Armed-Services).  While this certainly fits best in a Lutheran polity, it was designed to be ecumenical in nature and would be a great companion along the way.  There are other similar resources from other polities and groups, I am sure, but think about sharing something with these members of this kind.  Giving it on one of the particular holidays could be a rhythm that works, but it need not be on those days.  The simple act of giving something like this is honoring these members in a really important way, by valuing the journey they are on for its own sake, and putting something in their proverbial ruck sack that will make that journey better.

Finally, I think it critical that we address the very real problem of hyper-nationalism, especially the rise of white conservative Christian nationalism, that has become very apparent in the US today.  You are likely, if you wish to accept it or not, have members in your congregations that either accept or even promote this perversion of Christianity.  We cannot nor should not ignore this, but we need not make it a point of exclusion and repulsion from the church.  And we cannot ignore the disproportionate representation of veterans in the group that executed a failed insurrection of the government of the United States on January 6th, 2021.  This creates a problem for sure, in honoring veterans, especially as there resides strong feelings, by some, that the problem lies within military culture itself, even if that (false) perception cannot be borne out by facts.  Retired General Mark Milley, in his retirement speech, reminded all of us who have served or currently serve in uniform, that “We don’t take an oath to a king or a queen or to a tyrant or a dictator.  And we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator.  We don’t take an oath to an individual.  We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and we’re willing to die to protect it.”[3]  Yet clearly some have gone against that very premise, and some continue to perpetuate a violation of their oath and this underlying core philosophy of the nature of military service.  As the church, we cannot get into the specific vagaries of civil military relations, but we do need to address how Christians who serve can and should comport themselves as God calls us all to do.

 

To that, some suggestions:

• Don’t fall into the trap of blaming the warrior for the war, or all veterans for the wrongful acts of those few who are clearly outside their commitment to serve the constitution.  It is too  easy and too fraught with error to descend into the tropes of the past which have been proven by history to not only unhelpful but exceptionally damaging.  It’s also too easy to give into rage and simply blame the whole for the errors of a part of any group (hence where stereotypes come from).  Among America’s greatest tragedies was blaming drafted members of the US armed forces for their all too often undesired participation in the Vietnam conflict, as if they were the ones that drove the policies that made that conflict the travesty that it was.  Likewise, calling into question the honorable and courageous service of those hundreds of thousands who have served since on account of the clearly egregious violations of the law and the oath that was sworn to upon enlistment or commissioning by those few who took part in one of our darkest days, is a mistake.  Rather, like John the Baptist and Christ himself did, respect and honor military service[4].  Those of us who have rendered that service, in the United States at least, do so with respect to the Constitution that begins with “We the People”.  Yes, we can and should be reminded of our oaths to support and defend the constitution, as General Milley makes clear.  We need to, however, remember how we address sin in our midst, and that is to love our God and our neighbor, including those that serve in uniform.
• Do ask the why question.  Many of those that are finding themselves on the other side of the chasm with regards to their duty to the Constitution, and Christian love, are really struggling.  Rev Dr.  Schade articulates well that many engage in hyper-nationalism as a coping or response mechanism because of their service.  What is often lacking is an appreciation and self-introspection of why they are in a position of standing against the very things that they swore to defend or have received in their redemption in baptism.  Arguing against their strongly held beliefs, often subject to bound conscious, more often not only hardens the heart.  Akin to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart in the Exodus story, it leads to self-destructive behavior or worse.  What is better, is to ask the “why” questions.  Why do they believe as they do?  Why are they so focused on hyper-nationalism?  Why are they fearful?  Why are they engaged in these activities?  Why are they in pain or anger or rage?  Similarly, for those that would demonize or dehumanize veterans and military members, ask the same kinds of questions.  Science and politics focus often on the how, what, where, and who questions.  But the church is the one place that can best address “why” questions.  Christ makes it clear that why we are is because he loves us, unconditionally, without wavering, and without preconditions.  Engaging with the why questions for those veterans that are a part of your congregations enables us to reconnect and reenergize with the power of the Spirit of all understanding.  That is critical in these contexts and discussions.  Ask the “why” questions.
• Seek out their pain and work to salve it.  Following from above, one of the things that is commonly known at this point is that war wounds may or may not be visible.  While not all veterans and military members suffer from post-traumatic stress or other behavioral maladies, we all have our pains and issues that we have had to contend with.  Mine happens to have been very strong anger coming out of my first tour in Iraq, which was really only salved by and through another tour later in my life along with continual reflection on my place as a child of God.  I could have, however, turned my anger towards my family, my neighbors, or society at large.  To a great degree, that is precisely what those that are engaging in hyper-nationalist or white conservative Christian nationalism are doing.  Medical and behavioral specialists ought to be a ready resource for veterans in general, but the Church has a huge role in bringing healing to the soul.  Among the many things I believe we ought to do for veterans is provide them with a chance to engage in individual confession and forgiveness.  Further, providing prayers and small group discussion circles can be exceptionally helpful.  Point being, use these holidays and commemorations as times to consider finding ways to address those that are standing aside from their duties and responsibilities to offer places and times to bring healing for them and those around them.

To conclude, I again want to thank Rev. Dr. Schade for her earnest-while post on this topic.  I also appreciate her willingness to allow for me to provide a companion post from my perspective.  I hope I have done justice to this topic, and provided some more helpful ways to address the commemoration of veteran, military, and related holidays in our congregations.

 

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[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/250366/percentage-of-us-population-who-are-veterans/

[2] https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/demo/acs-43.pdf

[3] https://apnews.com/article/milley-trump-biden-democracy-military-d2abb76858291c87ae856f91e9556d8e

[4] https://www.1517.org/articles/concerning-centurions-and-the-salvation-of-a-soldiers-soul